The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

There are no French hens, but you can celebrate with Bunny Love.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

Four calling birds or KT Couture?

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

Who wants five golden rings, when Vivienne VaVoom's in the room.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

There's no geese a-laying, but we've got Minetta Lane as Suzie Snowflake.



Photo by Chris Blakeley.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

No swans a-swimming, but the burlesque version of The Twelve Days of Christmas has plenty of beauty.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

We've got more than eight maids in this burlesque version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. And none of them are a-milking.



Photo by Chris Blakeley.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

The only ladies dancing in this burlesque version of The Twelve Days of Christmas are burly queens.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

Forget ten lords a-leaping, The Candy Pitch's version of The Twelve Days of Christmas includes Bettie Page.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

Who needs eleven pipers piping? The Candy Pitch brings you a far saucier version of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

Forget twelve drummers drumming, The Candy Pitch brings you a far saucier version of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Candy Gram: Foxy Moxy

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Foxy Moxy.

What is your hometown?
Currently Reidsville, NC, by way of Pittsburgh and Erie, PA.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I've been interested in burlesque since the age of 10, when I was mesmerized by a burlesque revue I wasn't supposed to be watching on late-night HBO! I became hooked on performance through competitive figure skating, probably from around age eight. I've been performing burlesque and singing cabaret for about six years now.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Probably 10 pairs in my bag right now.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
Currently, The Pussycat Song by Connie Vannet, Just A Gigolo by David Lee Roth and Pepita the Pole Dancer written by me. (I usually sing the songs I'm performing.) Also, ANY SONG done by the decadently sex-tastic, swingin' blues bombshell, Ms. Candye Kane!

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
My "Samson Airline 77" wireless headset mic (no bodypack or wires to tangle in your costume), sewing machine, "Kryolan Aquacolor" bodypaints/powder makeup with "Mama Clown" Glitter.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
My dear friend, the fabulous "PhatManDee", Atomic Jazz Chanteuse of Pittsburgh, PA, who plucked me from the audience and thrust me upon my first variety stage ever, whispering through her gritted teeth, "Get up there and sing, dance... take off your clothes... whatever! We need time to restore the video feed to the judges of The Bong Show" -- her yearly Gong Show spin-off. They never did fix the live remote feed from the club, but a quick-thinking tech guy streamed a porn instead, which the totally baked, bong-happy judges liked so much, they declared me the winning contestant! After that, I decided I was much better off planning out my acts in advance if I was going to go anywhere near one of PhatManDee's gigs again.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
There are so many amazing performers past and present, my list of dream divas would encompass the Candy Pitch Blog. My most recent indelible impression: I SO freakin' LOVED Clams Casino's We are the Champions routine at Exotic World 08!

What is your favorite item of clothing?
I'm very tactile: silky, fuzzy, furry or feathery.

What's the last movie you saw?
What Would Jesus Buy? (about Rev. Billy & The Church of Stop Shopping)

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I'll admit it. I'm a big Project Runway geek. Definitely a fan of the arts programming on the Ovation channel, too.

What book is on your nightstand?
1000 Nudes -- Uwe Scheid Collection.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Seeboden, Austria, during the World Bodypainting Festival or Santiago, Chile, to see one of Cuerpos Pintados' bodypainting art exhibitions. My partner and I also hold a current Guinness World Record for bodypainting.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I'd like to combine the twinkly-sounding nose-twitch from Bewitched, with the powers of the Orgazmarator from the movie, Orgazmo. I'd wriggle the tip of my nose and dish out great big "O's" wherever I go! Certain to have SOME positive effect on the crime rate, not to mention the economic boost for laundry liquid.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Bambi Galore, Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Revealing Images: Angie Pontani

In Revealing Images, photographer Don Spiro dishes up sweet photographic treats and the stories behind them. Today, Don aims his lens at Angie Pontani.



Angie Pontani asked me if I would shoot some promotional shots for her show at Corio in New York, This Is Burlesque. The name is a play on This Was Burlesque, a revue by Ann Corio, the club’s namesake. The session would be with several of the cast members at the club and would include shots on the stage, candid shots, and studio style portraits.

After shooting shots of each performer on stage under a variety of lighting setups with a multitude of poses, I turned to the studio work. Space was limited, but tables were cleared and I set up my backdrop poles with a white fabric backdrop and took promo shots of Murray Hill, Helen Pontani, Melody Sweets, Peekaboo Pointe, Scott Rayow, and Dulce de Leche.

Angie and I have worked together often, and it's always fun. This time she was very ill, but this was the only time to shoot, and as soon as she stood in front of the camera her confidence and poise overshadowed everything else. I normally don’t recommend shooting someone who is uncomfortable, but Miss Pontani is a professional who’s attitude is “The show must go on” and can turn it on without betraying a hint of discomfort.

For Angie I used a very simple lighting design of two lights at forty-five degree angles to the camera, bounced into reflective umbrellas. This provided soft even light from both sides, bringing life to her eyes and creating a nearly shadowless fill. I shot portrait style, with the camera vertical, and Angie went through a host of poses.

Although this lighting can be flattering to a subject, cross-lighting can introduce awkward double shadows on a background. I avoid this by setting the backdrop further away, having the subject close to the camera in relation to the background. This throws the subject’s shadows far off to either side, out of the frame of the image. The lighting is angled so that the subject is lit evenly and there is enough spill to keep the background reading as white in the exposure. I don’t like to use Photoshop or do retouching, other than adding my credit, so everything had to be perfect in camera. This way the images could be ready for delivery and be incorporated into promotional materials with very little additional work.

The moment we finished Miss Pontani crashed on a couch, out like a light. She was still feeling poor, but from the look of the finished image you would never know it.

~Don Spiro

Video of the Week

A Candy Gram Mix

Tune in to Sauce on the Side's latest iMix of food songs. It's based on The Candy Gram interviews and which songs you like to perform to.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

The tributes to Bettie Page continue. MTV points out all of the celebrities who were influenced by Page's style. Dita Von Teese shares a story about her encounter with Page. PopMatters calls Page "the new frontier." And the New York Times offers up an appraisal of Page's place in our sexualized world:

"To look at these photographs is to enter another world. I don’t think for a minute it was a more innocent world, but it was one in which sexualized images of women, even trussed up in rope, seemed somehow, well, charming. I’m sure there are plenty of women and some men who would disagree, saying that one generation’s erotica is another’s pornographic exploitation. But the sheer volume of images that wash over us now have blunted our sensibilities, I think, and made us less alive to the beauty, the poetry and the mysteries of the naked body."

In other news ...

The Montreal Mirror recommends Gilded Lili in their Holiday Gift Guide.

Yule-A-Go-Go shimmies onto the CW.

Jessica Biel stars as a stripper in Powder Blue.

A Murray Little Christmas puts a ribald spin on the holidays.

Gypsy to shutter in January as a result of the faltering economy.

Bettie Page Dies at 85

Bettie Page, whose black bangs, curvy figure and naughty-but-nice smile helped make her a legendary pinup queen in the 1950s died at 85. Last week, Page suffered a heart attack and never regained consciousness. Her family agreed to remove life support Thursday.

She became famous for the 4-by-5-inch black-and-white photos taken by amateurs. She was the January 1955 centerfold for the then new Playboy magazine. She also was photographed by Irving Klaw, a short, balding man who became famous for his bondage photos of Page. Klaw and his sister Paula operated Movie Star News, a storefront and catalog company which sold photos of movie stars and pin-ups of burlesque dancers. They also made burlesque films, starring Lili St. Cyr, Tempest Storm and other dancers.

Klaw's pictures drew the attention of Senator Estes Kefauver, who was holding hearings on the mafia. The investigation also exposed the connection between strip clubs and the mafia and examined the connection between pornography and juvenile delinquency. They called Klaw to testify, but he pleaded the Fifth. Bettie Page refused to testify at all, telling the committee privately “that Irving Klaw never did any pornography at all, not even nudes, and that I would say that if they put me on the stand."

Shortly after that, Page retreated from the public. She had a born-again experience and immersed herself in Bible studies. Later her life was marked by depression, violent mood swings and several years in a state mental institution.

In the early '90s, as retro and swing culture boomed, Page became a cult figure. Her image was splashed on playing cards, lunch boxes, action figures, T-shirts and beach towels. In recent years, she had lived in Southern California on the proceeds of her revival.

She occasionally granted interviews as long as her face was not photographed. She told the Los Angeles Times, "I want to be remembered as I was when I was young and in my golden times. ... I want to be remembered as the woman who changed people's perspectives concerning nudity in its natural form."

~ Bettie Page, Queen of Pinups, Dies at 85, The New York Times
~ 1950s pin-up model Bettie Page dead at 85, CNN
~ Bettie Page dies at 85, Los Angeles Times (with a nice photo gallery)
~ Bettie Page, 1950s pin-up queen, dies in L.A., Reuters
~ In Pictures: Bettie Page, BBC
~ 1950s pinup model Bettie Page dies at 85, USA Today
~ Bettie Page, 1950s Pinup Girl, Cult Figure Decades Later, Dies, Bloomberg
~ Bondage Babe Bettie Page Dies at 85, Time
~ The Official Bettie Page site

A Sizzling Stocking Stuffer

What's the perfect stocking stuffer? How about the story of a woman known for peeling off her stockings? While supplies last, I'm offering signed copies of Gilded Lili for $15 + $5 for shipping (a tad more for international requests). If you're interested, please e-mail me at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com.

Video of the Week

Seasons Greetings

For a special package, The Candy Pitch wants your favorite burlesque-themed holiday pictures. Send in your pin-ups, performance shots or anything else that says have a very sexy holiday season. E-mail photos to kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Bettie Page suffered a heart attack last week and remains in critical condition. The Associated Press reported that Page suffered a heart attack after three weeks of being hospitalized for pneumonia. Family friend Todd Mueller has claimed that Page is now in a coma. Agent Mark Roesler confirmed that Page is "critically ill."

In other news ...

NY1 chats with Angie Pontani and Lynn Sally about burlesque in New York.

The pin-up girl is making a comeback.

Fire damages West Hollywood strip club.

One reporter wonders what Dita Von Teese would think of the Satanic Sluts.

The Candy Gram: Bambi Galore

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Bambi Galore.

What is your hometown?
I perform out of Washington DC as my home base but after being raised a military brat, I'm always moving about.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
When I was younger I remember wanting to be a boy so I could be a drag queen. I always thought they were so beautiful. Once I found burlesque I was happy to see I could be just as glamorous and keep myself just the way I am!

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
I am constantly making pairs for my numbers. I like them to be just as special as the rest of the costume so about 15 at the minute.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
Humoresque
Bubbles in the Wine
I'm a Woman

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
False eyelashes, my signature pink lipstick and wig tape.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Funny enough, my mom. She was never a burlesque performer but she's a Navy Admiral. Growing up she'd do dinner theater and I'd be backstage acting along what she was doing on stage. She was the first person to show me that no matter what, do what you love and love what you do.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
I have three -- Satan's Angel, Coco Monroe and the World Famous *Bob*. All of them are amazing women with incredibly kind hearts and spirits. When I have needed someone they have been there not just for inspiration but for faith in mankind. They epitomize what a true beauty should be.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
My turquoise open toe heels.

What's the last movie you saw?
Stranger than Fiction

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I'm a couch potato so I love my shows. The Office (I'm a fanatic), Dexter, Big Love and Swingtown.

What book is on your nightstand?
Stori Telling, Not the Girl Next Door, Naked, Water for Elephants

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
The West Coast seeing I've only ever been on lay-overs.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
To fly, I've always wanted to ever since I was a little child. The feeling of weightlessness seems like it would be transcending.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Tanya Cheex's Golden Rules

Tanya Cheex shares the golden rules of costumes with The Candy Pitch.

1. Make your makeup big and clean, wear false eyelashes.

2. Make sure your hair is perfectly coiffed not lank and natural. Make sure your wig is in good shape and secured safely to your head. Do not wear cheap, synthetic wigs with tracks showing!

3.Make sure your stockings and tights are free of holes (unless your character calls for it) and don't sag at ankles and knees.Bring two pairs to your gig. Make sure your stockings are opera length unless you're going flapper or 30's. Wearing beige fishnets is cheaper than surgery!

4.If you must wear off-the-rack costumes, jazz it up with some swag or rhinestones. If you can pull your street jeans over your costume, it ain't showbiz.

5.If you argue that your the girl next door type, remember you're on stage so you're the girl next door times 10.

6.If your feathers look moulty and sick, trash 'em and get new ones.

7.If you're wearing a lot of black or dark colors add something reflective like silver sequins or something. Don't disappear. Also its easier for the stage kitten to find discarded items.

8. If doing "Period" pieces do some research. It doesn't have to be 100% authentic -- it is fantasy after all -- but have some ideas of pieces that are relevant to the time period.

9.Keep up your costumes. Nothing spells tawdry showgirl like hanging trims. Wash or Febreeze those babies and add a waft of your favorite perfume.

10. Nothing breaks a fabulous outfit like scuffed shoes. If you have an all purpose favorite buy in twos. Big chunky platforms break the line of the leg. Don't enter the stage with stockinged feet.

And an extra rule for good measure ...

11. If doing a stocking peel please get a pedicure and wear slippers backstage before a barefoot act. dirty soles are not sexy! Manicures too!

What are the burlesque rules you follow? Send 'em to kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com.

Video of the Week

Spread a little holiday cheer with Yule A Go-Go. It's the yule log, holiday music and burlesque all wrapped into one.

Danke Dita

Don't miss Dita Von Teese in the German edition of Playboy.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese has sued Macmillan Publishers for using her image on Patti O'Shea's In Twilight's Shadow novel. The paranormal romance novel about demon hunting features her face in close up shot. Her attorney said the burlesque queen had "built her name and her career on her unique appearance and personal attributes." Von Teese is also suing photo agency Fotosearch.com for selling her picture to the publisher.

In other news ...

The old Raymond’s Revue Bar, the UK’s first striptease bar, is up for sale through Davis Coffer Lyons. Founded in 1958, for the past couple of years it has been a nightclub – Sir Elton John and David Furnish held their wedding reception there.

Milwaukee gets a new burlesque troupe.

Dr. Sketchy's is "very dynamic because of the costumes and the models are usually dancers or performers and so they have very dynamic bodies."

Happy Thanksgiving

Video of the Week

Ditch the stress about the over-indulgence of the holiday season and enjoy a heaping side of Mika and his fabulous burlesque-y background dancers.

The Sassy Life

Sparkly Devil reports via Jo Boobs that Life magazine has published much of their photo archives on Google. Here's one shot of Lili St. Cyr.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Foxy Veronica's Peach Pies draws from the style and substance of the old-school striptease shows, then add some thoroughly modern cheese: '50s beach-bunny flicks, swingin' '60s mod movies, '70s sitcoms and '80s music videos, topped off with high kicks and pasties. There's even a heaping of the shock-and-giggle comedy of South Park and Family Guy. Isthmus recently spoke with the group's ringleader, Foxy Veronica about how Peach Pies are made and what goes into producing an over-the-top performance nearly every week.

In other news ...

In his new memoirs,, Christopher Plummer -- also known as Captain Von Trapp -- dishes on his tawdry side, which includes fond memories of Lili St. Cyr.

The Pussycat Dolls -- the burlesque troupe, not the pop group -- shimmies into The Viper Room.

Star Trek blasts off with a striptease.

Kitty, the head of the Welsh burlesque entertainment agency Kitty’s Dolls, also supplies dancers with their de rigeur curve-hugging uniform -- the corset.

Georgina Baillie, the dancer in the center of the 'Sachsgate' scandal, performs at Erotica 2008 with burlesque group Satanic Sluts.

La Clique, a burlesque-inspired cabaret, extended its run in London through April 2009.

More dirt on The Box.

The Candy Gram: Miss Rosie Bitts

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Miss Rosie Bitts.

What is your hometown?
Thunder Bay Ontario, eh! Although I have lived on Vancouver Island for the last 16 years.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I have been a performer for most of my life. I have always wanted to be an actress and starred in my first play when I was eight years old. I became interested in burlesque about five years ago and love how burlesque combines my passion for dance, music, theater and old time glamor!

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Lots!!!! But I love my Twirly Girls and my Cheesecake pasties the best!

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
Fujiyama Mama by Wanda Jackson, Glory Box by Portis Head and Don't Leave Me this Way by Thelma Houston.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
False eyelashes!!!!! Red lipstick and my safety thong.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Gosh, there are so many great performers that I have been influenced by. Miss Indigo Blue and Jo Boobs have both been incredibly giving of their knowledge. I had the great joy of talking with a number of Burlesque Legends at MEW 2008 and that has had a huge influence on the direction I am now taking my career. And I so admire the work of Little Brooklyn, Immodesty Blaize, Catherine D'lish and Michelle L'Amour.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
I have a huge crush on Immodesty Blaize, who is riveting!!! But my overall favorite Burly Queen would have to be Zorita. She had such creative flair and seemed like a truly kick-ass woman!

What is your favourite item of clothing?
My Red PVC Corset.

What’s the last movie you saw?
Hell Boy 2 in my hotel room in Vancouver during a weekend of Burlesque Fun!

What’s on your must-see-TV list?
I don't actually watch TV, but I have been known to rent Dexter on DVD.

What book is on your nightstand?
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Somewhere warm, quiet and tropical where people are dressed in very little clothing!

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I would have the super power of Reality Warping -- the ability to change or manipulate reality -- because it sounds like it could really come in handy. Although I'm sure if you ask my husband he would say that Reality Warping would be a redundant Super Power for me.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

The Daily Mail introduces readers to the new queens of burlesque, Chrys Columbine, Camille O’Sullivan, Roxy Velvet, Ivy Paige and Miss Behave.

"Much of the appeal of the burlesque world is the way the women used to dress in eras such as the 1950s," says Chrys Columbine, left,. "Women today dress in a much more relaxed fashion – in jeans and tracksuits – but I’ve always been drawn to older, glamorous stars such as Bettie Page. I love the effort they put into looking good."

Find out what draws the other women to burlesque here.

In other news ...

A Wink and a Smile steals the show at the Olympian film festival.

X-Rated!: The Power of Mythic Symbolism in Popular Culture tries to answer the question: "If pop culture is so crass and vulgar, why hasn't it disappeared? Is it because we secretly love vulgarity?"

Cointreau will launch a new burlesque-inspired cocktail at an exclusive event this Wednesday.

If you're in Los Angeles, catch Dita Von Teese, Ava Garter and Liz Goldwyn tonight at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Behind The Garter Belt

Today's guest post is brought to you by Tanya Cheex.

Amber Ray hooked me when I first caught her dazzling Goldfish act back in 2005 at the last Mojave Desert Miss Exotic World pageant. She is also well-known for her original and glamorous custom-made costumes. She won The Golden Pastie Award for "Best Dressed" at the New York Burlesque and those who have had the privilege of seeing her light up a stage know it was well deserved. I took some time to ask New York's high priestess of costuming a few questions:

What is the importance of costuming to the burlesque performance? Do you come up with the act or the costume first?

Costuming in any stage performance is the visual key. It's very important, in my opinion, to create an immediately dazzling relationship with the audience. There is so much power in what we wear. The colors and shapes, when layered properly, can really affect someone's first impression of your performance and set the tone for their excitement. It can hypnotize.

My inspiration comes from all places. It could be a color, a song, a piece of an outfit, a picture. Mostly the idea for the act or character comes first but sometimes I get a piece of a costume or a vision of a costume and start creating an outfit. If the costume inspiration is coming first, it's going to be a classic strip with no real theme.

When did you realize that your costumes had to be custom made and not off the rack?

Immediately. I made my Peacock costume first. I wanted to have a major hand in the creation of the whole number.

Where inspirations do you draw from?

It could be anything. A color, a character, a prop. I try not to limit myself and just let my imagination run wild.

Do you get inspired by vintage burlesque photography or performers?

Most definitely. My first idea of a strip club was from retro pictures of women in fishnets, rhinestones, furs, gowns, and fiercely feminine poses.

What are your favorite costumes that you've made? What was the most challenging?

I love my Peacock, my White fluffy outfit. Nothing was terribly challenging. I find some of the things I have to do for others the most challenging. For example taking a beaded and sequined dress and having to revamp it into a new dress or several pieces of a costume can break many sewing machine needles. In general I do love a challenge. It's rewarding to figure out how to make something complicated and succeed.

What materials do you get the most excited about working with?

Trims! Making the structure is never as fun as decorating it! Swarovski crystals especially.

Explain the importance of closures and fastenings on costumes for the burlesque artist?

I think having those details in order is really important because you don't want to struggle on stage. It will hurt your performance. There is a wide variety of them. Hook and eye, snaps, velcro ect. Use them and use them in abundance.

You do custom work for others. What was your most bizarre request?

Nothing too bizarre yet but I did just finish a couple pair of Swarovski encrusted deer antler helmets for a theater show. It was really interesting to figure out how to make them. Sometimes I really surprise myself.

What tips can you offer those who aren't crafty? What one Amber Ray secret can you divulge?

I would say find a group of people or friends to get together for a stitch and bitch. There is nothing more rewarding than getting together with your friends and getting creative. Everyone can share their tricks and it makes for a super fun social and artistic adventure. Everyone has something to share and learn. Also pooling your resources is fun. Everyone should bring extra stuff, or leftovers from previous projects to share. Ask each other's advice and don't be afraid to offer constructive criticism.

I wouldn't say I have too many secrets. Some of my structuring ideas I prefer to share only with people I want to hand my knowledge to as a friend or mentor.

If you had an unlimited budget what would you make?

I'm afraid to say! I have some big ideas but I don't want them taken by other people. It's hard enough to be original with such a huge community of creative people. If I had the money I think I might be interested in opening my own cabaret club and decorating the place. It would be so awesome to have a safe haven for all my creative little honeys.


Where can we contact you for custom work and accessories?

I have an etsy store that I try to keep updated but unfortunately I'm too busy to keep it current. I need an intern!!!

You can always email me -- femmechatte@yahoo.com-- if you have special ideas for a custom order you want to have made.

If you would like to review my personal or custom work please visit my Myspace photo albums.

Revealing Images: Victoria Vengeance

In Revealing Images, photographer Don Spiro dishes up sweet photographic treats and the stories behind them. Today, Don aims his lens at Victoria Veneance.



As a photographer I’m proud that I can use a camera and lighting and not rely on digital effects to fix it in post, so the more I shoot with my digital cameras the more I like to practice with film. I have a collection of vintage cameras and thought it would be fun to shoot some large format this past summer.

I broke out a few of my 4 x 5 press cameras, the kind that have the bellows in the front and you look at the image upside in the back with a hood over your head. I had been shooting burlesque performers and love to have them model, so I started tacking on a few shots with the press cameras at each photo session. I had always liked the imagery of A.E. Johnston (nudes of Ziegfield Follies stars) and a book of his work had just been published, so I decided a similar look with black and white film would be a perfect use of the larger format. I even bought some photo chemicals to do Platinum and Palladium processing, century old film processing techniques.

One of my favorite burlesque dancers, Victoria Vengeance, asked me to do a photo shoot inspired by old Playboy photography, which suited her perfectly. After the shoot I set up two cameras, one as a prop, and one to shoot the portraits. She accentuated the retro style with two tone shoes and black stockings.

I loaded some film holders with some Ilford HP5, a 400 ISO black and white film stock, and some Polaroid 55 with a Polaroid. This type of Polaroid provided not only 4 x 5 prints, but matching 4 x 5 negatives, which look beautiful when printed or scanned.

I had been shooting with strobe lights, only the press camera can’t hook up to my strobes. Sometimes I use hot lights (continuous lighting), which require slower shutter speeds, but that means asking my subjects to stay motionless while the shutter is open. I decided to continue using the strobes by firing them remotely when the shutter was open. I set my lights high and with soft reflectors, emulating an old time studio with sky lights on an overcast day. I set the camera on a tripod and attached a cable release so that it would stay steady, then put the shutter on T, which allowed me to keep the shutter open until I closed it with the release. I loaded the film in the camera, opened the shutter, fired the strobes, and closed the shutter.

I scanned a few of the images as samples, but I still plan to print the negatives with the old time techniques. I’ll still shoot with negative film but, sadly, Polaroid went out of business, so this image may be one of the last you ever see. I have very little stock left, so if you want to be part of history and are interested in this kind of rare vintage style large format nude black and white photography, let me know before it’s all gone!

~ Don Spiro

Talking with Dita: Part Four

In the October issue of the Canadian magazine Glow, I wrote a piece about the history and revival of burlesque. Not all of my interview with Dita Von Teese made it into the story so I've been serving up occasional outtakes. Here's the final one.

How can women look to burlesque in order to tap into their sassier side?
Play dress up. Try new things like garterbelts and seamed stockings, and lingerie with a bit of red and black lace.

Try performing a striptease at home for your lover.

Have fun with sex. Burlesque was fun! Get in touch with the playful and fun side of sex! Laugh a little, tease a little, and don't take it all so seriously (except when it comes to safe sex, of course!)

Have fun with glamour. Try a bit of red lipstick, a sexy full lash, and put some sexy Veronica Lake waves in your hair. Play!

Dance around your house to your favorite music for 30 minutes as exercise. I do it all the time! I even bounce around on a little trampoline in my underwear, and that's a heck of a workout!

Have a burlesque-themed party. Everyone loves an excuse to wear a feather boa to a party, trust me.

Think about this. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so that means what makes you unique and different is what makes you sexy and beautiful. To me, this is an important aspect of burlesque. Don't think about what you think other people perceive as being sexy. You can only be sexy when YOU are confident and happy, so do what it takes to make you feel that way.

~Part One of Talking with Dita
~Part Two of Talking with Dita
~ Part Three of Talking with Dita

Video of the Week

Having spent four years researching and writing about Lili St. Cyr, it is rare for me to uncover something new and exciting. So, I was thrilled to discover this Video of the Week. There's a tiny bit of controversy over whether it's really Lili or not, but watch the video and then I'll dish below.

After reading the comments on YouTube disputing whether or not the video is of Lili, I studied the film and suspect it is indeed her. I've seen a few rare pictures of Lili from the mid- to late- Sixties and that is what she looked like including the hairdo. The costume is also similar to one Lili wore regularly.

Also, at this time, Lili was involved with a man she called Lorenzo Holmes. According to Lorenzo's sister, after Lili retired the couple entertained themselves with extravagant private parties. “It could be Arabian week or whatever else they cooked up,” Lorenzo's sister told me. “They would have someone come in and set their whole backyard up as an Arabian tent. Lili would sew costumes for them both. They would dress up in these outfits and have a Scheherazade party." Clearly this was not filmed in Lili's backyard, but it fits her Arabian fascination. And, I wonder if the mysterious man on horseback in the video could be Lorenzo.

Of course, my speculation means little. So, I got in touch with the man behind the film -- Brutallo. Apparently, in the '60s Scopitones, a type of jukebox that showed short, 16 mm films, were all the rage in bars. You'd pop a quarter in and stand around watching these movies on a small screen. According to Brutallo, who began collecting these now orphaned shorts, they were primarily films of stars who were no longer at the top of their game. He suspects this film was shot in the mid-Sixties, which was just a few years before Lili retired. He can't be 100% certain that this film is Lili, but the original recording company, Color-Sonics, had not mis-labeled any of the other films.

I suspect it is Lili St. Cyr. Any other Lili-philes have an opinion?

This Says It All

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Tanya Cheex and Sauci Calla Horra, left, of Skin Tight Outta Sight chat with Toro Magazine about wardrobe malfunctions, punk burlesque and retro and revisionist burlesque.

"When I started collecting vintage men's stag magazines and watching stag reels in my late teens, I was fascinated by the fierceness of the strippers, they didn't look like mainstream women," Tanya told the magazine. "They had an edge, all those trappings of hyper-feminism – the stylized makeup and hair, the heavily constructed foundation garments, the curvier bodies."

Sauci added, "In some ways, I see revisionist burlesque ... as a more accurate portrayal of what classic burlesque was doing in its prime. This doesn't seem to make sense until you think about how the narratives of burlesque in its heyday were very much about challenging the status quo. The performance was a send-up of the upper classes. ... [Today,] we attempt to go one step further, and capture the spirit of old school burlesque by being theatrical provocateurs. Those women back then were fierce, independent and what they were doing onstage was challenging the mainstream."

In other news ...

Meet Little Miss Risk.

Say hello to Miss PussyKatt.

The Candy Gram: Sahara Dunes

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Sahara Dunes.

What is your hometown?
Portland, Oregon by way of Kingstown, St. Vincent, West Indies

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I have always been somewhat of a performer. Whether it was on the sands of the West Indies or under our awning on our porch or in the club on stage, I was always trying some kind of new dance or come up with new moves. I starting performing burlesque in 2004, shortly after my son was born. However, motherhood took precedence to burlesque until 2006. That was when I had the opportunity to start performing more and more local and regional gigs.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Oh my. I'd have to say about 20 pair.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Fishnets, body/face/hair glitter, and baby wipes.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Non-performer, I'd say that has been my friends and family. They have given me lots of support and help in my burlesque career. Encouragement from them has helped greatly. As far as performers go, I'd have to Miss Indigo Blue. She really takes the time to share her knowledge with you and makes the effort to help performers coming up behind her.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
I'd have to say Dirty Martini. She's such an inspiration.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
My black cowgirl boots.

What's the last movie you saw?
Old School

What's on your must-see-TV list?
Well, I don't have a TV so that's hard. But when I did have one CSI and WWE were definitely programmed in my TV.

What book is on your nightstand?
The Ethical Slut and The Dummy's Guide to HTML.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
On a cruise to the Greek Isles.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I would want to be able to change into any form or object at any point and time. Think about all those things you could do if you were able to twist, bend, shrink, flatten.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Talking with Dita: Part Three

In the October issue of the Canadian magazine Glow, I wrote a piece about the history and revival of burlesque. Not all of my interview with Dita Von Teese made it into the story so I'll be serving up occasional outtakes.

Why do you think the neo-burlesque movement has gained momentum in the last few years? What's behind the increased interest?
The media gave it a lot of attention, and so the interest grew.

What is burlesque's appeal for people today?
I think a lot of women see it as a way to feel beautiful and sexy without fitting into the typical modern day standards of beauty, where the emphasis seems to be on natural, bikini-model, so-called healthy looking tanned slim bodies. Burlesque embraces artifice and fantasy and it's an image that can be created and emulated. It's about sensual freedom, and the enjoyment of sex and fun of a playful nature! Seduction and feminine prowess! And I would say that the men, for the most part, are enjoying the benefits of this.

Is that different than its appeal to audiences fifty years ago?
I think that the emphasis was more on titillation for a predominantly male audience, but I think its also quite interesting that it was more acceptable back then in many ways than it is now in the United States. I perform a lot more often in Europe, and there is an entirely different attitude toward burlesque as art, whereas in the US, sadly, most people don't know the rich history of burlesque in America, where it was truly invented and perfected. Americans have taken steps backwards with regard to sex and nudity, and that's a shame.

~Part One of Talking with Dita
~Part Two of Talking with Dita

Video of the Week

Have a spooky, shimmy-licious Halloween.

The Candy Pitch Wants YOU!

The Candy Pitch is heading out of town on assignment and looking for guest bloggers. Interested? Drop me a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com for details.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Miss Coco La Crème seduces audiences with Toronto’s Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque. She tells Shameless that she's driven "by an intense need and desire to create work that connects with an audience. Whether that means bringing to life an incredible costume, creating a challenging performance piece, or teaching women about their bodies and sexual power - it all works for me. I love to see people’s reactions to my work and get feedback. Plus, if I didn’t have an outlet I’d probably explode!"

In other news ...

The Chicago Sun-Times talks to Tura Santana and The Japan Times chats with Annie of Murasaki Babydoll.

A drag queen threw a condom at Leonardo DiCaprio at a burlesque show.

Burlesque heats up a long, cold winter in Alaska.

If you're in Chicago on Oct. 30, don't miss Barry R. Bone's Burlesque Brothel at The Darkroom. The show is going where no other murder mystery has gone before.

The Candy Gram: Mimi Rockafellar

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Mimi Rockafellar.

What is your hometown?
Midlothian, Texas

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I've been interested in burlesque for two years now ever since I found the audition notice, I've been interested in performing since I was around five and would watch musicals and got to perform at my dance school's recital

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
I don't own any, only because we don't use them in our show but I have always been curious to buy a pair for personal reasons.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
If Loving You is Wrong, Rag Doll and Big Spender.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Fishnets, caffeine, and eyelashes

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
My sisters. My oldest sister for being blunt and honest with me and not sugar-coating things, which I always hated but loved at the same time. Lindsay because she has always been my biggest supporter, and my last sister Jamie because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have ever gotten into dance

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Gypsy Rose Lee, there is one particular routine I saw and the whole time she is talking about thinking of Shakespeare or a painting by Monet while barely taking anything off and I love that because even the men in the crowd were fascinated and applauded her at the end of the routine when even though she took stockings, garters, and her bra off she still had her dress on.

What's the last movie you saw?
Mama Mia. I saw the musical years ago and I was a little hesitant to go see the movie version, but I was actually quite pleased with it

What's on your must-see-TV list?
With the busy schedule that comes with performances, rehearsals and what not it's really hard to get to watch anything. Thank God for Tivo. I love Mad Men and The Girls Next Door. I love comedy and I love crime scene shows. For the most part I'm a re-runs kind of gal of old shows that don't come on anymore

What book is on your nightstand?
I'm a sucker for steamy romance novels so everything in my nightstands are different ones that I have been told to read, sometimes I'll stay up till 5 a.m. because they're so good.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Either to a tropical destination like Bora Bora or on a cruise.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Mind reader. I'm so curious about what is going in certain people's heads.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Mynx D'Meanor, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.